The invention relates generally to construction equipment and more specifically an improved storage container and trailer assembly that allows a single user to transport a storage container back and forth to a work site easily and efficiently.
A construction industry storage container is commonly referred to as a “job box”. Job boxes can be purchased from various construction supply companies and some retail outlets. Most job boxes fall within a general size range and employ a substantially uniform design and construction. Job boxes are used by contractors and sub-contractors for the purpose of carrying tools and construction supplies to a job site. The job box usually remains at the site until the project is completed.
A typical job box being 36 inches tall, 60 inches long and 30 inches wide, weighs approximately 300 pounds, including the castors. There can be over 200 pounds of construction tools and supplies in the box, making the total weight of the loaded job box over 500 pounds. It takes a minimum of two persons, and as many as four persons, to lift a job box into a truck, even if the box is empty. If a project only requires one tradesman and one job box, loading, transporting, and unloading of that job box still requires at least one additional person, sometimes more. Traditional loading and transportation of a job box to a job site can be an inefficient and costly exercise for contractor or construction company.
A serious problem arises when small independent contractors, tradesmen, or other one-person operations use job boxes. Such individuals cannot employ a job box at a job site without recruiting temporary help to load and unload the box. Small companies or individuals are often restricted to using a pickup truck with a camper shell, or a station wagon, loaded down with all the tools and extra supplies needed for the job. Consequently, it would be advantageous to provide an apparatus and method for transporting a storage container to a job site that can be easily used by an individual.